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I'd look closely at the Mustang MD3184 HIT vest/harness. A more traditional "suspenders" design for much less cost than the Spinlock, with the superior performance of the HIT mechanism. I tried one on at Safety at Sea training last spring, and it was very comfortable.

That's the model I have, and I like it. You barely know it's there. I haven't used the harness on a tether (yet), but I did use it to go up a mast and it worked quite well.

Do they make a crotch strap you can add to it?

01-09-2014 10:13 AM

Group9

Re: Do you wear a life jacket?

No, I never do. My wife, who is not as good a swimmer, wears and inflatable one, when in precarious situations.

I probably should get another inflatable, but I haven't yet, because I am a long time fitness swimmer and just feel so comfortable in the water. Of course, if I ever fell and got knocked out on the way in, I'd wish I had one.

From the Practical Sailor pic and caption that I showed above, it sounds like there's a design deficiency with the Spinlock that makes it more likely to malfunction.

If I were looking to replace my WestMarine inflatable, I'd look closely at the Mustang MD3184 HIT vest/harness. A more traditional "suspenders" design for much less cost than the Spinlock, with the superior performance of the HIT mechanism. I tried one on at Safety at Sea training last spring, and it was very comfortable.

Until I go offshore, my current WM coastal vest is fine. I have a separate harness that I use when needed.

Fit and comfort are individual. More power to whatever fits the best, as the willingness to wear it is probably the single greatest factor.

Integrated v. separate harnesses is also a personal preference. I offer that it seems to increase the odds one would have it on, when integrated. Again, to each their own.

Deckvest by spin lock has both. It's $369 at West Marine. It looks the coolest too.

From the Practical Sailor pic and caption that I showed above, it sounds like there's a design deficiency with the Spinlock that makes it more likely to malfunction.

If I were looking to replace my WestMarine inflatable, I'd look closely at the Mustang MD3184 HIT vest/harness. A more traditional "suspenders" design for much less cost than the Spinlock, with the superior performance of the HIT mechanism. I tried one on at Safety at Sea training last spring, and it was very comfortable.

Until I go offshore, my current WM coastal vest is fine. I have a separate harness that I use when needed.

While it's fashionable to blame the US Govt for everything these days, don't you think that the poor performance of Spinlock Deckvest in real-world situations might just have something to do with it? I wouldn't pay the inflated price for that thing, no matter how cool it looks:

Good read. Thanks. Certainly, the advantages of a Spinlock have nothing to do with looking cool. Does it look cool? That's news to me and rather snide on your part, I just find it comfortable. I like the integrated harness, crotch straps included, replaceable bladder and easily maintained trigger and inflator. Not to mention comfort. It must be maintained to work properly. All vests do.

It wasn't clear if the deceased was wearing crotch straps, but they were also caught up in the rigging for a time, IIRC. At least when I bought mine, the straps came with the vest and I consider them mandatory, no matter the vest. Maybe some find crotch straps uncomfortable or don't snug them properly.

I did start to drift off in the US sailing report, so maybe they noted the recency of maintenance to their vests.

The suggestion that any vest be tested in the water, inflated, is a great one. I will bet 99% of boaters have never done so. One should have in-water practice climbing into a raft as well, which I now believe it mandatory in Safety at Sea. It was available but not mandatory, when I last took it.

Because they haven't paid the ransom in the US. Many, including me, use them anyway and have some cheap legal pfd stuff in a locker.

While it's fashionable to blame the US Govt for everything these days, don't you think that the poor performance of Spinlock Deckvest in real-world situations might just have something to do with it? I wouldn't pay the inflated price for that thing, no matter how cool it looks: